On Thursday (24.09) we will host Dr Kai Ling Liang (Head of Laboratory of Hematopoiesis, Nencki Institute), who will deliver the lecture entitled: "Finding my niche – Investigating TNF receptor 2 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia". The seminar will take place at 3 p.m. in the CN lecture hall and will be followed by a get together.

Abstract:  

Building and refining a research niche is essential in the development of an independent academic career. I was a nomad since 2009 and until I found Poland to be the host of my very own research niche (www.lianglab.info). In this talk, I will share my transitioning experience from a postdoc to becoming the head of the Laboratory of Hematopoiesis. Our knowledge about TNF signaling is limited by the lack of studies for the underlying ligand-receptor relationship. I hope to convince you that studying the pleiotropic roles of TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) in hematopoiesis would allow us to gain a deeper understanding of human normal blood cell development and pathogenesis of blood diseases. The first project of my lab, funded by the NAWA, will examine the potential role of TNFR2 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL is the most common type of leukemia in adults with 90% of people diagnosed are older than 50 years old. With the global increase of human life expectancy and ageing populations, CLL is expected to pose a major socioeconomic challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. Ultimately, we aim to improve the clinical management of CLL via the study of TNFR2.